Point of Care 3D Printing Workshop at the Quadram Institute

On Monday 5 February we hosted a Point of Care 3D Printing Workshop at the Quadram Institute, Norwich Research Park.

The first half of the event gave the opportunity to learn about point of care 3D printing, and how it can help to improve patient outcomes. Later in the afternoon, delegates discussed the barriers and facilitators to creating a point of care medical 3D printing hub to service the Eastern region.

The aim of the workshop was to help to better understand the clinical, research, and training potentials for a proposed 3D printing in the East of England.

3D printing companies had the opportunity to demonstrate the technology and its benefits to the public, where delegates could learn more about 3D printing materials and prosthetics.

The event also had a Virtual Reality demonstration, where delegates could wear a VR headset and get a close-up view of a 3D skull with potential prosthetics.

We were introduced to the event by Sheng Qi, Professor of Material Science and Technology.

We then heard from Dominic Eggbeer, Professor of Healthcare Applications and Design as he spoke on 3D printing and quality management systems for point of care medical devices.

Delegates from 3D printing companies Materialise, Cellink, 3D Systems and Stratasys offered key updates into the software and advancements in 3D printing technology.

We finished the day with a round-table discussion on developing a point of care 3D printing service in the East of England, hosted by Mojtaba Dorri, Associate Professor/Consultant in Restorative Dentistry. The discussion covered the opportunities and challenges faced in the region and allowed delegates to share opinions and ideas.

We want to thank all who attended the workshop. It was a great opportunity to learn about 3D printing and to share experiences of how the technology is benefitting citizens and we look forward to being part of the future development of point of care medical 3D printing in our region.